Locking mechanism



J. A. MUZZO LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 25. 1923 lqi.

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Patented Dec. 1, 1925.`

UNITED STATES` JAMES A.. MUZZIO, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

LOCKNG MECHANISM.

Application filed May 25, 1923.

To ZZ wlw/m t 'may concern Be it known that l, Jarras A. Muzzio, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful ln'iprovements in Locking Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locks.

The object of the invention is to provide improved locking mechanism including a locking device or strike adapted for attachment to one of the members to be secured together and cooperating with locking mechanism on the other member, said locking mechanism including a plurality of levers or lever members moving in diilerent planes to engage with or be disengaged from the strike, thereby very materially reducing, if not entirely preventing, any liability of tampering with or opening the lock by knocking or vibrating it to free the locking levers from the strike.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of locking mechanism embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line fl-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line il-4, Fig. 2, showing the lock closed; Fig. is a similar view showing the lock released; and Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding to Figs. 4 and 5 and illustrating a modiication.

1n the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the two parts to be secured together, each thereof' carrying a part of the locking mechanism forming the subject matter of this invention. They may be any suitable parts, for example, the lid .and receptacle portion of a box, such as a cash box or like article. To the lid 1 is attached a suitable strike member, such as the plate 3 carrying a tongue Ll adapted to enter the lock casing, said tongue having two edge recesses 5 and a through opening 6 to receive the locking levers as will appear. It may also be recessed as at 7 to avoid interference with the rotatable plug.

To the inside of member 2 is secured the lock casing, represented generally at 8, and formed of .any suitable material and of any size and shape as will. be obvious. To one serial No. 641,392.

wall of the casing are pivotally connected at i) a pair of locking levers 10 adapted to turn in the same plane and having hooked end portions 11 disposed on opposite sides of the strike and adapted to enter the recesses thereof. The strike engaging ends of said levers are yieldably urged toward each other by a suitable spring 12. Said levers swing in a pla-ne transverse to the axis of the key controlled locking` device which may be of any suitable form and, as shown, comprises plug and barrel members 13, 14k, the latter suitably secured to the casing and the former adapted to receive a key by which it may be rotated in the barrel, as is usual. The rear end of said plug, or a part attached thereto, marked 15, is of cylindrical form except where it is flattened olf on two opposing sides, as at 16, and lies between the oppositely disposed levers 10. rlhis plug member 15 serves as a cam adapted by rotation of the plug to either separate the levers 10 or allow them to close. Rotatable motion of the plug may be limited if desired by suitable means, such as the pin 17 cooperating with one of the flat faces of member 15.

Since the two levers 10 swing or oscillate in the same plane it is possible for a skilled unauthorized person not possessing a key to open the lock by vibration or blows imparted to the mechanism or the device to which it is attached in the direction of said plane. Such blows or vibration may possibly jar the levers out of locking engagement with the strike. I therefore provide this locking mechanism with additional means engaging the strike and movable in a different plane from said levers. lSuch means may be of any suitable form so long as it is yieldable or self locking. or engaging' in character and may be operated by rotation of the plug 13. Figs. 6 and 7 show for this purpose a lever member 18 pivoted at 19 in a suitable bracket on the casing and formed of twisted or bent sheet metal. Said lever is backed by a light spring 20, the effect of which is to urge the lever 18 forwardly and cause its hooked locking end portion 21 to enter the recess G in the strike which is bevelled off at 7 for` the automatic locking engagement found in structures of this character. Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, show the preferred form, in which the lever is a metal bar 18a of springy or resilient material riveted or otherwise rigidly secured at 22 to the casing.V rlfhe resiliency of this member normally urges it into locking engagement with the strike in the same manner as the effect of spring 20 upon lever 18. Both forms of lever are the same in so tar as they are actuated by the rotatable lock plug, the rear end of which has a portion bevelled otf laterally, as at 23, to form a cam portion Which lies opposite a bent or inclined portion Q4 of the locking lever, as shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 3, il and 6 represent the locked position ot' the parts. lf the key is inserted and the lock plug turned the etliect of the cam 23 upon the bevelled portion 24 of the lever is to push the same back against its inherent resiliency or the effect of the` spring` 2O into a cavity 25 of the casing; thereby freeing said lever of engagement with the strike at the same time that the levers l0 are released therefrom.

lVith both forms of the invention the strike automatically opens all three locking levers and can be moved to locking engagement therewith Without the presence of a key. Rotation ot the same plug releases all three levers, even though they move in three different directions from the rotatable plug. At the same time the construction is simple and is not likely to get-out of order.

What I claim is:

l. Locking mechanism, comprising relatively rotatable cylinder aud plug members, and locking levers actuated by the rotatable member, one of said levers moving in a plane transverse to the plug axis and the other in a plane parallel therewith.

2. Locking mechanism, comprising relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, a pair of locking levers oppositely movable in a plane transverse to the plug` axis, and a third locking lever opposite the end of the plug and movable in a plane parallel with its axis.

3. Locking mechanism, comprising a cylinder, a plug rotatable therein, locking levers movable transversely to and parallel with the plug axis, and means actuated by the plug for operating said levers.

Locking mechanism, comprising a cylinder, a plug rotatable therein, a pair of' JAMES A. MUZZIO. 

